1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a photosensitive cartridge detachable from an image forming apparatus main body and relates to an image forming apparatus.
The photosensitive cartridge has an electrophotographic photosensitive member and is detachable from an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium.
Examples of the image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (such as a light emitting diode (LED) printer and a laser beam printer), a facsimile machine, and a word processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process forms a latent image, by performing selective exposure according to image information, on a photosensitive drum uniformly charged by a charging device. The latent image is then developed using toner by a developing device to form a toner image. Afterwards, a transfer device transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum to a recording medium, so that an image is formed.
Conventionally, as one type of the above-described image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process, an image forming apparatus including a photosensitive cartridge and a developing cartridge has been known. The photosensitive cartridge has a photosensitive drum and is detachable from an image forming apparatus main body. The developing cartridge has a developing device and is detachable from the photosensitive cartridge. Such a cartridge type allows a user to perform maintenance of the apparatus by him or herself without relying on a serviceman. Therefore, operability can be greatly improved. One type of such a process cartridge has a handle portion to be gripped by a user at the time when the user attaches/detaches the cartridge to/from an image forming apparatus main body, and many cartridges of this type have been conventionally discussed.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-42622 discusses a configuration intended to reduce space for a handle portion and to improve operability of a cartridge. In this configuration, a process cartridge is attached inside an image forming apparatus main body, and a handle portion is accommodated in the cartridge when a main body door of the image forming apparatus main body is closed.